Adrien was tired.

Adrien was cold.

Adrien was alone.

The rain pouring heavily that day, the box he was sleeping in not the greatest shelter, no blanket, he was not living very well. It started when his mom left a year ago. His father refused to acknowledge him, and Adrien just couldn't put up with it anymore. He was fed up with all the neglect. So he took some clothes, money, and left. Here he is a year later. Sleeping in a box. From Ikea. Wonderful. He was starting to burn up, and he could feel the sweat dripping off him the way the rain was of his box. He breath was fogging up in front of his face as he took deep, ragged breaths. Slowly losing consciousness, his vision blurring as he saw an Asian woman with short dark black hair hovering over him, calling over a tall, bulky man. He blacked out.

Adrien smelled cookies, and other sweets surrounding him and overwhelming him with a smell that didn't make him sick. It was a welcome change of course, but it was off-putting, as he had absolutely no idea where he was. He felt a cold, wet cloth on his head, making his fever more bearable. He felt a lot better than he had felt in a while. That wasn't that much, but it was still a pleasant change of pace. He tried getting up, normally nimble on his feet, having had to run away from quite a few angry people he had stolen perhaps a piece of bread or a forgotten lunch. He quickly learned he isn't so nimble with a fever as he fell on his face. The sound echoed throughout the house and Adrien went dead-silent. He heard footsteps coming towards him, and he tried to scramble away, but with his fever he couldn't bring forth enough energy to move more than an inch from his place. He felt fear well up in him when he realized he was now being picked up. Adrien yelped in alarm, and attempted to put up a little resistance, but all he could do was wiggle a little. Regardless, he felt surprise at the comfort offered by the man as he placed Adrien back on the couch he fell off.

"Hey, you okay there?" The man said in a gentle voice.

"W- Who a- a- are you?" Adrien rasped, proceeded by a cough.

"My name is Tom, you're in the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. What were you doing out there with such a high fever?"

"…." Adrien looked away from the kind man, unwilling to answer.

Tom simply sighed, a sad look on his face.

"Well, I imagine you aren't going to get any better if you aren't clean, so once your fever breaks, would you like to try to take a shower?"

Adrien nods vigorously. He doesn't remember the last time he had a shower. He squeaks in surprise, feeling a new cold cloth on his head. He felt tired, not wanting to sleep in a foreign house, regardless of how ridiculously nice it's occupants are, his body betrays him as his eyes close and he falls into a fitful sleep.

He wakes, his fever gone, realizing the sun is rising outside. Did he spend the whole night here…? He jumps hearing clattering from the kitchen. A short Asian woman steps out, bits of flour on her, icing as well.

"Oh, I'm sorry did I wake you?" The woman asked in concern.

"N- No, I was a- already awake…" He said, his voice only a little bit sore compared to yesterday.

"Now that you're looking to be feeling much better, would you like to take a shower, maybe get changed into some clean clothes? Something my husband has should fit you." She says, smiling warmly the whole time.

"T- T- Thanks, I would l- like that a lot." He says, timid.

"Okay, let me show you where the restroom is then."

They started walking together. Adrien, being curious, decided to ask the woman a few questions.

"So, what's your name?"

"Oh, just call me Sabine. I never had the chance to ask yours?"

"A- A- Adrien. So is it just y- you and Mr. D- Dupain-Cheng?"

"We live with our daughter Marinette as well, but she's on a class field trip for the weekend, so she'd be back by tomorrow."

"Oh…"

"Well, here's the restroom, leave your clothes outside and I'll wash them for you and leave you some spares just outside the door."

"S- Sorry for being such a b- bother…"

She looks about to cut him off, but he quickly shuts the door, walking up to the mirror. Who knew how much one could change in a year. Due to a year with extremely lacking nutrition and general food, he couldn't see any height or physical age difference in his looks. He had black circles around his eyes, and his hair was greasy. His cheeks were slightly caving. His once vibrant green eyes were now dull and sickly, as they say, the eyes are the windows to the soul. His was extinguished a long time ago. He couldn't recognize himself. No wonder the family didn't immediately turn him in to the police. He stripped off his clothes. He could see his ribs. Father would be proud. Adrien was disgusted. He saw white lines trailing in neat rows on his thighs. Being a model, it was only place he could hide them. It was the only place he was allowed to draw the line. He traced them, each one having a specific memory of why they were created, as father pounded into his head that nothing can be without reason. His father missed that fencing competition Adrien was so proud of. Father forgot his birthday. Another goddamn pen. Ah. This one. He had gotten into a nasty argument with his father.

"Father."

"Adrien, why are you here without an appointment? How come Nathalie let you in?"

"Why should your SON need an appointment?!" Adrien cried out.

"Adri-"

"How come, two months after mom disappeared, having most of my life being ignored by you, even with mom, I find you have time to be in whatever affair you are having with NATHALIE?!"

"Adrien calm down, this is unprofessional."

"Were you doing this while mom was still here?! WERE YOU?!"

"Adrien."

"Don't you DARE you that on me!"

"Look, I-"

"Do you even love her?"

Gabriel opens his mouth to protest before Adrien cuts him off.

"Do you even love me?"

"Adrien."

Adrien instinctually cuts off.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you love me," He says quietly.

"Leave."

"…Gladly."

That was a deep scar. His thigh bled for about half an hour, at least.

He didn't talk to Ms. Sancoeur or his father after that.

Note that in this au/fanfiction, Adrien is extremely scared of other people, leading to massive stuttering. He will probably not grow out of this even much later in the series, being an everlasting scar left by his neglect.